Arkansas News Briefs

CONWAY (AP) – Merchants and shoppers have been encouraged to examine their money after a recent surge of counterfeit bill circulation in central Arkansas.

The Log Cabin Democrat reports that many counterfeit bills have changed hands and been passed successfully in Conway throughout the past few days.

A Conway detective says fake bills are fairly easy to spot through close examination. He says most of the counterfeit money has been printed on office paper, while real money is printed on plant-based paper. But some were small bills that have been bleached and reprinted as larger bills.

Police are collecting counterfeit bills as evidence. The detective says the U.S. Secret Service has been made aware of the current problem in Conway.

LRAFB welcomes new commander

LITTLE ROCK (AP) – The Little Rock Air Force Base has welcomed a new commander to its 314th Airlift Wing.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Col. James Dryjanski was installed as commander at a change-of-command ceremony Thursday. It marked a change in leadership of the Department of Defense's largest international flight-training program.

Dryjanski was a C-130H model instructor at the Little Rock base for nearly two years before serving as a pilot, instructor and other officer positions in the U.S., Japan and Germany. His most recent assignment was commander of the 387th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia.

Col. Scott Brewer, the exiting commander of the 314th Airlift Wing, is headed to Washington, D.C. to work in the Pentagon's Air Force headquarters. He will be chief of concepts in the strategy and war games division.

Police arrest 2 men on drug charges

SEARCY (AP) – Police say they've arrested two Arkansas men on several felony charges, including possession of drugs and firearms.

The Daily Citizen reports 22-year-old Jonathan Blaine Spivey was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop in White County. Police say they then learned Spivey's driver's license was suspended and searched his vehicle. They say they found methamphetamine and a semi-automatic handgun.

Spivey faces two drug charges and one drug and firearms charge.

Authorities also arrested 46-year-old Kent Edward McDonald on Tuesday in White County, after police say they seized methamphetamine valued at $3,200. They say they also found other drugs and several stolen items. He faces three felony drug charges.

They've both been released from jail on bond. The White County Circuit Court says it doesn't know if the men have attorneys.

UA taking look at classes aimed at execs

FAYETTEVILLE (AP) – The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is taking a look at developing its education programs for company executives to boost revenue.

Matthew Waller, an associate dean in the university's college of business, says he believe customized courses for business leaders would be a way to raise revenue. He tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette executives can pay more than students can. He says he's still working on revenue goals.

Executive education at the university isn't new. The college has regularly offered open-enrollment courses for business leaders.

But Waller says the school hasn't put much effort into developing executive education before. He says more universities are relying on the programs to generate revenue.

The university announced in April that it's offering customized classes for J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. workers.

Interstates 630, 30 lanes to close briefly

LITTLE ROCK (AP) – Separate work projects will require the closing of lanes of Interstates 630 and 30 in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says crews will be painting the steel on the Interstate 430 south to I-630 east bridge. The westbound outside lane of I-630 will be closed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday from the I-430 southbound on-ramp to the I-430 northbound on-ramp.

AHTD crews will also be inspecting the bridge over the Union Pacific railroad tracks that will require closing the outside lanes of both eastbound and westbound I-30 just north of the I-30/I-440/I-530 interchange.

The eastbound outside lane will be closed Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and the westbound outside lane will be closed Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Driver charged with illegal transport

TEXARKANA (AP) – Federal authorities have charged a Guatemalan man arrested in Arkansas with transporting people who are in the country without legal permission.

The Texarkana Gazette reports Isaias Elias-Pelico was transporting at least seven passengers when he was pulled over July 24.

Court documents state Elias-Pelico presented a fake driver's license to a trooper. The officer contacted the Department of Homeland Security.

Elias-Pelico and the passengers were taken to a federal immigration office in Texarkana. Authorities say his fingertips matched those of a Guatemalan man who had been stopped in the U.S. before.

A passenger tells police he paid Elias-Pelico and another man $600 to take him from Houston to Pennsylvania. He says he was going to pay another $350 upon arrival.

Calls by The Associated Press to the driver's lawyer went unanswered early Friday.

Arkansas officials suggest south bypass of Light

LIGHT (AP) – Arkansas highway officials are suggesting that road crews build a bypass around the south side of Light in Greene County rather than improve U.S. 412 through the center of town.

The state Highway and Transportation Department said it reviewed potential bypasses to the north and the south, along with a wider route through town, and decided going around Light to the south is the better option.

Going through town would force many residents and businesses to move. The highway department also plans further improvements to U.S. 412 that could increase heavy-truck traffic.

A southern bypass was said to have a smaller impact on the community and cultural resources.

A public hearing will be held in the fall.

The 14-mile project will complete a widening project between Paragould and Walnut Ridge.